Main menu

Tag Archives: DIY clutch tutorial

Clutches took over fashion world by boom in a last year or so, there is a massive amount varieties on the market, each designer offers their unique clutch. I do have a few favorites in mind but they are not in my price range, anywhere from $300,$500 for a pouch, this is what clutch is, hmmm… too dear. I decided make my own and share with you the steps to make one.

It took me a while to conclude this tutorial. I can’t tell you how many things went wrong – nearly everything actually 🙂 I forgot to buy zipper, can you imagine a clutch without a zipper or any kind of lock? Mistakes with pattern. Even the weather was not friendly to me to the point that I could not take proper photos, so sorry for bad quality of some images, but it’s better than nothing I guess.

Let’s start from the materials you will need: zipper size equal to the width of your clutch, thread, fabric for lining, leather and fabric for the clutch. I used my hand painted fabric experiment. Other thing is to mention before we start that all seams allowances in this tutorial are about 1 to 1.5 cm.

Figure out what size clutch do you want, as I love oversized bags I decided that I will be only satisfied with an oversized clutch, so my clutch size is 40×48 cm in unfolded version.

Cut 2 details from each fabric and leather. Leather pieces are 40x 25 cm, body’s fabric 40 x 22 cm and lining 40x 50 cm adding 1 cm on each side for seams. Basically keep the width of each piece the same, like in my variation it is 40 cm.

Join the leather pieces with the main fabric, by facing them to each other and sew them together on a long side leaving about 1cm from the edge for a seam.

It’s a time to attach zipper. This took me a while to think which technique to use. I will try to explain it here but if you are not familiar with sewing and my tutorial is unclear to you check this video on zipper tutorial here from Pandemic Apparel (use exposed zipper technique).

Lay the zipper face up, place the fabric face down on top of the zipper, face to face edge to edge and sew it as close to the actual zippers teeth as your sewing machines foot allows. You don’t need to use a zipper foot for this. Do same the step with the other side of the zipper and the other piece of fabric, It should look like this.

Attach lining by placing it on top of wrong side of the zipper equalling it along the long edge and sew it slightly closer to the edge than the sewn fabric. As you can see on the picture first goes the lining then on top it is the zipper with fabric that have been attached to it earlier . Do symmetrically with other piece of lining.

Open flat each completed piece with the zipper being in the middle, you must have two pieces like on the picture below.

Place them symmetrically on top of each other equalling each seam, leave zipper inside half-open ( to help in turning inside out).

Join those two pieces by stitching around their perimeter leaving bottom edge of a lining open you will need this for turning clutch inside out. Round up corners while sewing if need it. My zipper was too long so I had to leave some unstitched space around the end of zipper. I suggest to you keep it simple and have the right size zipper 🙂

Turn it inside out.

Lift lining half way up along the clutch, and sew by hand with a loose stitch lining to clutch, seam to seam. This step will secure lining to stay in place inside of your clutch.

Straighten lining down; it should end up a bit longer than the actual clutch length.

Fold extra fabric inside of lining matching the length of the clutch.

Sew it few millimetres away from edge. Hide or cut threads.

Turn it outside out.

Fill your newly made bag with goodies and you are ready for the day!

I love this clutch and I will definitely make more for my shop, stay tuned 🙂

P.S I have to give a credit to my beautiful helper Alex she was next to me in every step of this tutorial.